Powder Coating Basics
Some of you may have heard of powder coating but are not sure how it works or why people -- especially auto enthusiasts -- are so thrilled about it. Others have used it routinely for years and would not build a project without it. This article is designed to provide some background and specific information applicable to powder coating in general, and what you can expect when you enlist Phoenix Specialty Coatings as your chosen powder coating shop.
Powder coating is an advanced method of applying a decorative, protective finish to a wide range of materials and products used by industry and consumers alike. The powder is a mixture of finely ground particles of pigment and resin sprayed onto any metal surface to be coated. The charged powder particles adhere to the electrically grounded surface until heated and fused into a smooth coating in a curing oven. The result is a uniform, high quality, durable, attractive finish that lasts for years. Powder coating is one of the fastest-growing finishing technologies, representing over ten percent of all industrial finishing applications. The process has been around for over 40 years.
Advantages of Powder Coating Over Painting
Powder coating offers one of the most economical, longest-lasting, and most color-durable quality finishes available. Because powder coating encapsulates the entire part* and seals out air, coated surfaces are more resistant to rust, chipping, scratching, fading, and wear than with ordinary automotive paints. You will never have to worry about pits, crevices or pinholes. Unlike paint, powder coating will not be adversely affected by most harsh automotive fluids or chemicals.
Color, texture and application selection is virtually unlimited with thousands of high and low gloss, metallic, chrome-like, translucent, cast, high-temp, vein, leatherette and clear finishes available. Powders formulated for automotive use to resemble Chrysler Orange, Ford Blue, etc. mirror the factory finishes of their counterpart paints without all the attendant future hassles of chipping and scratching. We all know what that leads to ... hot rod-killing rust and the never-ending need to repaint. Special UV-resistant powders mean colors stay bright and vibrant longer even in damaging sunlight. Texture selections range from smooth, mirrorlike surfaces to a wrinkled or matte finish, and rougher textures (including casts, wrinkles and leatherettes) are designed for both hiding surface imperfections and obtaining very distinctive results.
Imagine your metal door panel inserts in a leatherette finish that matches your seats and headliner ... or a rainbow effect on your valve covers and air cleaner ... a 2-tone vein on your control arms that matches the two colors of your 2-tone paint job ... A Chrysler Orange custom air cleaner with the Mopar Performance logo left intact ... The only limit is your imagination.
Powder coated surfaces are a lot easier to clean too. Just wipe it off with a damp shop rag and you're good to go. Just think: No more polishing! Compare that with the cost of three cans of engine degreaser to get your engine compartment suitable for this weekend's show ... and next weekend it will need to be cleaned again. And no matter what you do, it will never have that factory-new appearance. As I said above, powders are available to mimic that factory or totally custom look you're trying to achieve without all the disadvantages of ordinary engine paints. You can even wax it if you want to (but it's not needed).
Powder coating is also highly protective of our environment. While liquid finishes contain solvents which have pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), powder coating contains no solvents and releases negligible -- if any -- VOCs into the atmosphere. Most overspray that does not adhere to the part can also be retrieved and reused, virtually eliminating the waste found in liquid finishing processes. One of the major elements in expanding the market for powder coating has been the implementation of stringent air pollution control legislation over the past 30 years.
COMMON USES
The automotive industry uses powder coating on wheels, bumpers, hubcaps, door handles, decorative trim and accent parts, truck beds, radiators, filters, and numerous engine parts. A clear powder topcoat has been developed to protect auto bodies as well. BMW and Volvo are using it on their new model cars, and GM, Ford, and Chrysler have formed a consortium to test this technique on their production lines.
Auto enthusiasts and pro builders are especially fond of coating versus painting because of its versatility, color and texture selection, and durability. The only limit to its use is your imagination. You can now make your ride stand out from the rest in an affordable fashion! For the pro builder, powder coating will improve the look and feel of the individual parts; they will last longer and resist damage. This translates into more and more satisfied customers who will not only sing your praises to everyone who admires their vehicle, but they will continue to return to your shop for years to come. As we all know, word of mouth is the best advertising you can get.
COST
All of these benefits are great .... but let's face it: No matter how fabulous powder coating really is, it has to conform to your bottom line.
There is a common misconception that powder coating is too expensive and out of reach for the average backyard mechanic. Coverage-wise, a half pound of powder is equivalent to about three rattle cans of spray paint. A half-pound of powder costs about the same but has numerous advantages over paint as detailed above. It's because of all of these benefits that powder coating is so cost effective.
Prep work is actually what costs you, the restorer, the most. Keep in mind that powder coaters would rather coat parts than spend their day scraping 3 inches of road grime off an oil pan to get it ready. The more prep work you can do yourself (scraping, blasting, deburring, repairs), the cheaper your powder coating bill will be.
Believe it or not, Phoenix Specialty Coatings' prices start at about $25.00 for a clean (or brand new) small part in a standard color like Gloss Black, Chevy Orange, Old Ford Blue, etc. Though all parts are different due to their nature and all prices are quoted individually, generally speaking and applying to standard colors, an average new small block four barrel intake manifold is about $125. A used / dirty small block four barrel intake can range up to $200 or more depending on the choice of color, excessive deburring, the time needed to blast the part, repair damaged threads with helicoils, etc. You can get all your engine brackets coated for well under $150 for a heavily-optioned car. A pair of standard coated small block valve covers cost about $75. Single pulleys are around $30. Of course, iridescents, second/topcoats, leatherettes, veins, translucents, high temps and all specialty colors add a little more due to the higher cost of materials and additional labor. Custom color matching, helicoils, Glyptol application, deburring, and other special services are also available at additional cost.
Rest assured, we will work with you to get what you want done for a price you are willing to pay. We're hotrodders too, and we already know that restoring anything in this day and age is a very expensive proposition. (It's one of the reasons why I've had my 68 Cuda for over 16 years and it's still not finished.) Though it would be nice, understand that we're not in this to get rich. We'd rather see you finish your project with results you love and can afford. We're doing everything we can to expand our business and keep professional custom powder coating affordable for everyone. You have to send your parts somewhere ... why not send them to the best???
Please don't hesitate to give me a call any time to discuss your particular coating needs. I'm easy to work with. I promise.
Leanna ~ The CudaChick
Owner / Operator
Phoenix Specialty Coatings
731-613-9192
http://tn.local.yahoo.biz/phoenixspecialtycoatings (watch for our new -- and greatly improved! -- website coming soon!)
* Unlike most powder coating shops, threads and gasket surfaces are left uncoated by Phoenix Specialty Coatings unless otherwise desired. Your parts will be returned to you free of blasting media and all threads will be tapped; they'll be ready to install right out of the shipping box.